Meta

Politics

China and the United States have announced an agreement to cooperate on battling global climate change. As part of the deal, China has pledged $3.1 Billion to help poorer nations also take measures to reduce damage to the environment, according to an article in the Wall Street Journal last week. The article noted this was a significant step for the Chinese as other developed nations have borne the cost so far.

The announcement came after Chinese leaders met with President Obama to talk about climate change measures. The United States has already pledged $3 Billion to help poorer nations take positive steps. Those monies will be given out over the next several years as developing nations find ways to cut harmful emissions.

“The significant and new climate finance pledges made by China are a game changer in international climate politics,” said Li Shuo, a senior climate policy analyst with Greenpeace East Asia said. “It is a drastic increase from China’s previous finance commitments.”

Both countries pledged to continue to reduce their own harmful CO2 emissions that are believed to be responsible for global warming.

Also as part of the agreement, China will extend a cap and trade system it started in 2013. Under this plan companies buy and sell permits that allow them to emit a certain level of carbon under an overall cap. The Chinese said they would implement these programs in the nation’s largest cities by 2017.

The United States is committed to reducing its CO2 emissions 26-28 percent by 2025, down from the 2005 level. China plans to educe its missions by 65 percent by 2030.

Both nation’s leaders hope the agreement will carry over some momentum into United Nations talks to be held in Paris at the end of this year. Those talks are to focus on climate change and what can be done to slow the effects.

Another story, in the Guardian, noted that China passed the United States as the world’s No. 1 polluter in 2006. The article also noted that in 2006 China began a program to start addressing climate change. There are many people living on the coast in China, and they are seeing sea levels rise.

The agreement also calls for China to be more transparent about its pollution statistics. Both the U.S. and China have also set targets for emissions from heavy-duty vehicles, appliance standards and building energy efficiency.

Like it or not, Donald Trump has dibs on the famous seat in the White House. He wants more than anything to run this country, if for nothing less; he wants to handle the financial debt. True, Trump is a successful business man and he has made several wise decisions in his days. However, having all the money he does doesn’t make him fit to run the country and face leaders. His new campaign says that he is worth more than $10 billion dollars. Last year alone he made over $350 million in income. But do the American people see this as more hype than ability to run a country that is in perilous times? Some think he’s the answer, but other’s aren’t convinced.

He is more of a celebrity than a politician, but perhaps that will get him the recognition he needs to get elected. A wealth statement was released this week that showed his assets and his net worth. It’s a political move to show how financially secure he is. It’s clear Trump is not in it for the money; he has other things in mind. That salary that the president gets would be chump change to the billionaire. Analysts are not convinced that he is actually making as much money as he says he is. Forbes magazine has been following Trump for more than three decades. What they have found is that he is probably embellishing a bit for the sake of the campaign.

The thought of Trump for president is strange to some people who are used to watching him on TV. However, given the candidates that are out there now, he is one of the better options. He will run under the Republican Party if nominated and his support seems to be rising as quickly as his bank account. How would Trump handle foreign policy, fix Obama Care, and deal with other officials of other nations?

If anyone looks at his reputation from his famous show “Celebrity Apprentice,” he lacks that certain charm and charisma that is needed to help get the job done. A great deal of things has been said about Obama, but he was never unkind or arrogant. Trump would give new meaning to the word “unapproachable.” What about calling the Mexican people all sorts of names and getting thrown off his famous show by NBC? Doesn’t sound like he’s being too charming by calling names to the Mexican people and many of these people are living and voting in this country.

Still, the American people like what the Trump has to say. It doesn’t matter what mistakes he has made in the past and who he has offended, he very well may be the next president of the United States. With the choices being between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, it looks like the only loser in this race will be America.